Author: Kaluka wanjala

Absa Bank Kenya has announced net earnings of 20.9 billion for the year ended 31 December 2024, a 28% jump year over year. The bank also declared a total dividend of Ksh 9.5 billion which translates to Ksh 1.75 per ordinary share. This is represents a 13% increase from the previous year. During the review period, Absa focused on supporting its customers to navigate economic shifts and capitalise on growth opportunities by improving access to financing and strengthening support for critical sectors. The Bank’s customer loans and advances closed at Kshs. 309 billion. The bank expanded financial access in notable…

Standard Chartered Bank Kenya is taking an industry-specific approach when it comes to supporting local startups. It focuses on women-led businesses operating in the tech space. During the bank’s 2024 financial results announcement, CEO Kariuki Ngari revealed how the bank is working with startups by balancing risk management with more impactuful support. Ngari said that startups can be unpredictable and generally have a high risk of failure. This makes it necessary for the bank to be selective in how it supports them. Rather than applying a blanket policy, Standard Chartered evaluates startups based on the industry they operate in and…

M-Kopa has revealed that it sold at least 1 million of its branded smartphones in 2024. This accounts for 20.9% of the 4.8 million smartphones sold for the 12 months ending September 2024 according to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA). M-Kopa produces about 5,000 devices every day which are sold on hire-purchase through a pay-as-you-go plan. The company started assembling smartphones in Kenya in 2023 and is one of the only two first to do so. The other one is the East Africa Device Assembly Kenya jointly owned by Safaricom, Chinese phone maker Telel, Jamii Telecom and the Industrial…

At Safaricom Decode 3.0 East Africa Edition, CEO Peter Ndegwa shed light on how the company is using artificial intelligence (AI) to improve customer experience, drive new business models and improve operational efficiency. AI is Core to Safaricom’s Strategy As a technology-driven organization, Safaricom is investing heavily in AI to provide very personalized offers and experiences across its platforms. According to Ndegwa, AI is improving Safaricom’s operations in three main areas: AI-Driven Customer Experience Safaricom is improving customer interactions through AI-powered assistants like Zuri. This helps make engagements more seamless. The company is also ramping up AI’s role in fraud…

Samsung is back with the Galaxy S25 Ultra, and as expected, it’s packed with upgrades that make it one of the most powerful smartphones of the year. Whether you’re thinking about upgrading or just curious about what’s new, here are five key things you should know about the S25 Ultra. Camera System Samsung is doubling down on mobile photography. The Galaxy S25 Ultra comes with a 200MP main sensor, promising insanely detailed shots. But the real star? A brand-new periscope zoom lens that takes telephoto photography to the next level. Expect clearer shots at extreme zoom levels, making it perfect…

M-Pesa Go was introduced in 2022 as a financial product for teens and preteens. It targets those within the 10 to 17 years bracket offering them specific M-Pesa services independently. With M-Pesa’s popularity across Kenya, there is a need for a secure and controlled environment for users under 18 years of age. This is why this service exists. Mobile money for teens is not something we are familiar with as in most cases, the teens are forced to rely on their parents. This article will explain what M-Pesa Go is, how it works, some of its key features and much…

Airtel has launched an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered Spam Alert Service in Nigeria. This will be available to all its subscribers at no cost.   This service, which offers Airtel smartphone and feature phone customers real-time alerts for suspected spam SMS messages, requires no additional application downloads and is automatically activated for all Airtel customers. Starting from Nigeria, it will subsequently roll out across other countries where Airtel Africa operates. According to research from Quartz, as of 2019, nine of the top 20 countries in the world with the highest spam rates are in Africa. With Africa’s smartphone penetration on the increase,…

WIOCC has announced its latest partnership with iColo to accelerate the growth of Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Mombasa and across Kenya. This collaboration seeks to enhance digital infrastructure, improve interconnectivity and unlock new market opportunities for ISPs.  “The collaboration with iColo is a game-changer for Kenya’s ISP community,” said James Wekesa, Chief Commercial Officer at WIOCC Group. “Through our high-capacity metro network and peering solutions, we are providing ISPs with the scalability, reliability and efficiency needed to serve the evolving needs of Kenyan businesses and consumers.” WIOCC has successfully deployed the Mombasa Metro Network, interconnecting major data centres and…

Little has today unveiled MySalary, its latest app aimed at revolutionizing how Africans access their earned wages. This on-demand salary platform makes it possible for employees to withdraw a portion of their earned wages whenever needed and not rely on monthly pay cycles. This, to some extent, is similar to getting a salary advance to cover some of your expenses.  “MySalary is a nano-lending platform that allows employees to access small salary advances based on the number of days they’ve already worked in the month. The platform is designed for ease of use, ensuring a seamless and secure experience. With…

The Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy (MICDE) has started piloting paperless correspondence to eliminate bureaucracies that slow down delivery of services. This was revealed by MICDE CS William Kabogo when he met a delegation from Tony Blair Institute. He added that going paperless promotes transparency. “It will be easy to track and trace progress of projects implementation and provision of services. This will be rolled out in all government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) after the piloting phase,” the CS said. Tony Blair Institute’s Regional Director for East Africa Joanne Mutungi shared how they are supporting the…